SAVOURY SAUSAGE STUFFING

Chef Ryan stirs fresh sage and parsley into his stuffing for a herbaceous flavour that comes through in the final product. Before stuffing the bird, he rubs the dressing between his hands to create a more homogeneous texture. He suggests making this a day or two before putting stuffing into the bird to cut down on lastminute work.

1 loaf day-old white or whole wheat bread, about 1 1/2 lbs (680 g)

1 lb (455 g) farmer’s sausage

3 tbsp (45 mL) canola oil

3 cups (750 mL) finely chopped onion 2 tbsp (30 mL) dried-leaf savory

1 tbsp (15 mL) allspice

1 cup (250 mL) unsalted butter, cubed

1 1/2 cups (375 mL) finely chopped fresh sage

1 cup (250 mL) chopped Italian parsley

1 Cut bread into 1/2inch (1cm) chunks. You should have about 14 cups (3.5 L). To dry bread, spread out over large baking sheets and leave at room temperature up to 2 days. Stir occasionally.

2 Slice sausage casings with a sharp knife and turn meat into a bowl. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and sauté, breaking meat into small pieces with a wooden spatula. When thoroughly cooked, after about 10 minutes, remove to a bowl, leaving all the fat in the pan.

3 Reduce heat to mediumlow and add onions. (If not using a brined bird, sprinkle onions with 1/2 tsp/1 mL salt. Don’t add salt if using a brined turkey.) Cook for 10 minutes, stirring often. Sprinkle with savory and allspice. Continue sautéing until onion is soft, about 5 more minutes.

4 Add butter and stir in. Sprinkle with fresh sage and parsley. Continue cooking, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sausage. Turn mixture over dried bread in a large bowl. Mix well and then rub mixture between your hands to create a more homogenous texture. Cool to room temperature before putting stuffing into the turkey. If making ahead, cover and refrigerate up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before stuffing the bird.

Makes 15 cups (3.75 L)